Layered-Cost-Map-Based Traffic Management for Multiple AMRs via a DDS

A traffic management system can be used to control multiple automated mobile robots (AMRs) effectively. This paper proposes traffic management for multiple AMRs based on a layered cost map in ROS 2 for multiple purposes. Using the layered cost map, the new concepts of a prohibition filter, lane filter, fleet layer, and region filter are proposed and implemented. The prohibition filter can help a user set an area that would prohibit an AMR from trespassing. The lane filter can help set one-way directions based on an angle image. The fleet layer can help AMRs share their locations via the traffic management server. The region filter requests for or receives an exclusive area, which can be occupied by only one AMR from the traffic management server. Multiple AMRs communicate via a data distribution service (DDS), which is shared by topics in the same DDS domain. The traffic management server in the domain sends or receives topics to each of the AMRs. The experiments of AMRs under the proposed traffic management show the effectiveness of our approach.